Maharashtra: Jalna civic official fined Rs 25K by human rights body for sending suspended official to argue on his behalf

The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) has imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on a chief officer of the Jalna Municipal Corporation (JMC) after he sent a suspended clerk Santosh Agnihotri to argue on his behalf and ordered the Collector to collect the fine and disperse it to the complainant.

The decision was taken after a retired teacher from Jalna, Surekha Sane complained about being deprived of her retirement benefit by the JMC in August 2022.

According to Sane, she retired on Feb 28, 2022, as an assistant teacher and is entitled to get retirement benefits as per the rules. Proposals for disbursement of service pension and other admissible allowances are required to be submitted to the deputy director of the education department (Aurangabad) by the education officer at the JMC. However, the education officer deliberately avoided signing the proposal.

“The education officer kept my application and has not taken any action to date. My family is going hungry as I have not received my retirement pay for seven months and I am also suffering from heart disease,” the letter read.

It further stated that the education authorities are plotting to harass her and that the city council and education officer should be held responsible if any harm comes to her. Sane also wrote to the MSHRC to hold the hearing on an urgent basis.

The commission took cognisance and the JMC chief officer, Santosh Khandekar was asked to appear. During the first hearing, Khandekar said Sane's pension was on hold as she had not paid dues to the department. However, there is no such rule. In the next hearing, Khandekar sent a suspended clerk Santosh Agnihotri to argue on his behalf.

The commission took note of this and imposed a fine of Rs25,000 on Khandekar, asking the Collector to make sure the fine is paid to the complainant. Meanwhile, Khandekar has been directed to appear for a hearing on Feb 18.